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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26772382">Fictober 2020 Drabbles</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/greekowl87/pseuds/greekowl87'>greekowl87</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The X-Files</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Episode: s02e17 End Game (X-Files), F/M, MSR, UST</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 04:01:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,689</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26772382</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/greekowl87/pseuds/greekowl87</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of my drabbles for Fictober 2020.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Fox Mulder/Dana Scully</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. "No, come back!"</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>31 Prompts for the 31 days of October</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Queequeg, no, come back!”</p>
<p>Scully’s voice echoed throughout the darkened streets of Georgetown as she heard the retractable leash scratch across the wet sidewalk, disappearing. She cursed herself and dug the flashlight in her pocket. She could see nothing. Her first instinct was that she could easily do this herself but after a moment’s thought. She dialed her partner’s number.</p>
<p>The exchange was quick and as she jogged back to her apartment to find Mulder already there with Queequeg tucked under his arm. “You called?”</p>
<p>She shook her head and smiled. “Do you want a beer?”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. "That's the easy part."</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Scully brushed back Mulder’s errant flop of hair as she tilted her head in thought. On top of the icy world again, one of them has almost lost their life again. The oxygen mask was gone only to be succeeded by the small oxygen line that fed through his nose. She couldn’t remember what it was called.</p>
<p>Scully was exhausted. It is not often you get to restart a man’s heart. She closed her eyes and heard Mulder’s murmur as he became conscious again. She sat up in the chair and smiled. “Hey, stranger,” she whispered.</p>
<p>Mulder looked briefly confused at hearing her voice. Anything else he would ignore, but he would be like a moth to a flame. “Scully?”</p>
<p>“Hey,” she murmured, “welcome back to the land of the living.”</p>
<p>He frowned, noticing the fading bruises on her face. He tried to lift a weak hand but she claimed it and brought it to her lips. She kissed his knuckles. “My princess is charming,” he croaked. “You saved me. Again.”</p>
<p>“I did.”</p>
<p>“I’m sorry for ditching you. I know...I think you were there when I woke up.”</p>
<p>“I was.”</p>
<p>“I told you I found the faith to keep looking.”</p>
<p>“Something like that.”</p>
<p>He turned her, suddenly sober. “I meant what I said, Scully.” In his drug-addled brain, Scully had been his faith that she had been abducted. Somewhere along the way, she had become his faith rather than Samantha. “Rather, my faith to keep looking came and found me.”</p>
<p>Scully was quiet and answered, “I’m sure.”</p>
<p>“I mean what I said.”</p>
<p>She took his hand and held. “Well, let that to be a lesson to you. Never ditch me and never go where I can’t follow.”</p>
<p>“Promise,” he whispered.</p>
<p>“Good,” she whispered, “That’s the easy part.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. "You did this?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Fictober day 3</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mulder couldn’t remember the last time he had celebrated his birthday. It had been so long and it was soaked in bad memories. Normally, depending on how crappy he felt, he would go to his favorite D.C. bar and do tequila shots alone. Or just pretend it wouldn’t exist. Now that he had a new partner, he wondered what to expect.</p>
<p>He always arrived early at the basement office, beating Scully who lived closer. He flipped on the basement light, the room smelling mustier than usual. He really should use the space heater. But on his desk was a card and a small, wrapped box with little pumpkin wrapping paper. He looked around suspiciously and opened the card. It was a little Halloween card and inside, in Scully’s neat handwriting.</p>
<p>‘Happy birthday - Scully’</p>
<p>He smiled despite himself and whispered, “You did this?”</p>
<p>He opened the small box and snorted with laughter when he saw an alien bobblehead. As if on cue, Scully strolled in and greeted him like any other morning.</p>
<p>“Morning, Mulder.”</p>
<p>He held up the alien bobblehead. “Did you do this, Scully?”</p>
<p>She shrugged noncommittally and hung up her coat. “Happy birthday by the way.”</p>
<p>“Thank you.”</p>
<p>He felt warm all over. Mulder smiled and put his new prize right next to his nameplate.  “So, what’s on the agenda today?”</p>
<p>“You ready to travel back out to the midwest?” Mulder grinned picking up a file. “I have a juicy Bigfoot sighting waiting to be checked out.”</p>
<p>“Bigfoot?”</p>
<p>“It’ll be fun, Scully.”</p>
<p>“I’m sure,” she smiled back.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. "That was impressive"</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>I missed the past couple of days due to work so I'm combining previous prompts. “That didn’t stop you before.’ “Unacceptable, try again” And of course, “That was impressive” which is today's prompt.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sweat stained sheets twisted around them like a python. Even the AC couldn't cool them down. “Well,” Scully whispered between kisses, “that was impressive.”</p><p>“For the first time?”</p><p>“I lost count,” she whispered.</p><p>She lounged against the pillow of his bed and it felt so good to have his weight on top of her. It had been so long. She closed her eyes as he nuzzled her lovingly. “Scully. I'm sorry, that’s unacceptable. Try again.”</p><p>She felt her insides twist, either in anticipation or embarrassment. It had been left to be determined. She pulled him closer in a kiss. “That didn’t stop you before, Mulder. Unacceptable, try again.”</p><p>He made that face he did when he was mocking one of her theories. “That didn’t stop you before, Scully.”</p><p>“Shut up.”</p><p>Mulder grinned. That goddamned foxish smile on his lips. He moved below the covers and she felt herself melt again. Probably for the thousandth time. Maybe it was right to be wrong once in a while.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. "Yes I did, what about it?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Fictober Day 7: “yes I did, what about it?” Post “En Ami.”</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mulder and Scully did not often get angry with each other. Sure, they might piss each other off. They would annoy each other, either on purpose or by accident. But they never got angry. However, there was a first for everything. Ever since she had run off with the Cancer Man and came back empty handed with a blank CD, things hadn’t been the same.</p>
<p>The Gunmen, sensing the uneasiness in the air between them decided it was time to go. Langley shut his laptop and said quickly, “I, uh, think gentlemen that it is time to go.”</p>
<p>Frohike nodded in agreement. “I couldn’t agree more. Byers, let’s go.”</p>
<p>Without further adeiu, they rushed out of Mulder’s apartment to the elevator and safety. Scully still sat on the couch with her head in her hands while Mulder stood motionless, leaning against the wooden door frame. She could feel his eyes boring into her and she wished that she could just disappear into the ground and never come back. The drafty air in his apartment even seemed colder between them. She heard him walk into the living room, without saying a word, pick up the disc and toss it uselessly in the trash.</p>
<p>“Well, I’d call that a wasted expedition. Why did you go with Scully? Did you really believe him? After all that he has done to you. To us?”</p>
<p>She looked up with furrowed brows. “Yes, I did, what about it?”</p>
<p>His face betrayed no emotion as he sat opposite of her in the leather chair. “What about it?” His voice was without emotion. “Why the hell would you do that? What did you hope to gain?”</p>
<p>“How many times have you run off?” She asked. “You ran off to go look at some alien popsicle while I was dying with my cancer. You expected me to drop everything and be there for you. I was. I have always been there for you, Mulder. Why can’t you, for this once, just be there for me?”</p>
<p>“Why did you do it?”</p>
<p>“Why wouldn’t I do it? Is that even a question?” His eyes narrowed in contemplation and Scully could not help feel vulnerable. “Are you profiling me, Mulder?” He remained silent and she knew that look. “Mulder, stop analyzing me! I know damn well I hate when you do that to me!”</p>
<p>“Just tell me why, Scully.”</p>
<p>She began to pace in front of him, like a caged animal. “Do you know what it’s like to wake up from a nightmare thinking you’re going to end up somewhere else? Do you live with that fear in the back of your mind wondering what exactly the little chip in the back of your neck? He showed me a woman that has the exact same damn thing I do. She looked no more than 60 years old. Do you know what the Smoker claimed? She was 118 years old. Is that even possible?”</p>
<p>Mulder stayed quiet.</p>
<p>“What?” She stopped her pacing. “Don’t you have anything to say? You’re mad at me, aren’t you? Is that why you won’t say anything?”</p>
<p>He looked away, focusing on the wastebasket with the empty CD. She followed his gaze and shook her head in disgust. “Fine. I get it, I get it.” She threw up her hands in frustration and began to gather her things. “I guess I’ll see you around.”</p>
<p>Mulder grabbed her arm gently, stilling her before she could leave. “Scully, wait.”</p>
<p>She stopped and closed her eyes. She could feel tears burning, threatening to be released. “Don’t do this to me, Mulder.”</p>
<p>He stood up, invading her personal space, as she held her breath. “Tell me why. Why did you do it?”</p>
<p>“I am tired of the unknown. I am afraid,” she whispered, “of Ruskin Dam repeating itself. I thought, if I could get some answers, then maybe I can get answers and prevent it from happening again.” She looked up to him. “I didn’t do it just for me. I wanted...I don’t want you to have to worry like that again or put you through what you experienced during my cancer.” She swelled the lump in her throat. “What he promised...touted….like a dangling carrot...that was an afterthought. Do I want to give mankind the cure for all diseases? Of course but I went because I don’t want to live in fear. My reasons were purely selfish.”</p>
<p>Mulder took her hands and faced her. “They weren’t,” he said. He cupped her cheek. She kept averting her eyes. “Scully, please look at me.”</p>
<p>Reluctantly, she did as she was asked. Scully expected to see coldness or anger. She only saw warmth. “Water under the bridge, okay? We’ll call it even.”</p>
<p>“You’re not mad?” She arched a suspicious eyebrow. “Mulder?”</p>
<p>“I would love to kill that smoking son of a bitch, but at you? No. I understand.” Simple words, a simple declaration; who would have thought it would mean so much? “Now, you’re spending the night. You and I still have some further discussion.”</p>
<p>“Discussion?”</p>
<p>“I have to remind you and make sure you won’t run off again,” he said, leading her to the bedroom. The door shut soundly behind them.</p>
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